HB 356 Alabama House · 2025 Regular Session

Crimes and offenses, penalty increased for crimes of making a terrorist threat in the first or second degree, principal to immediately contact law enforcement of terrorist threat, suspension of student, readmittance, and restitution provided

HB 356 increases criminal penalties for making terrorist threats in Alabama, raising the first-degree offense to a felony and the second-degree offense to a misdemeanor or felony under certain circumstances. It requires public school principals to immediately notify law enforcement when a student's conduct potentially violates the law regarding terrorist threats, mandating an automatic one-year suspension for students charged with such threats. The bill also specifies conditions for a student's readmission after suspension and requires convicted individuals to pay restitution to victims. These changes directly affect students in public schools and individuals convicted of making credible threats involving violence or property damage.

Issues: ✗ Criminal Justice

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 27, 2025 Last action Apr 9, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Judiciary 1st Substitute · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill was revised from an introduced version to a Judiciary substitute version, significantly reorganizing the text and clarifying definitions of terrorist threats. The changes add explicit definitions for 'credible threat' and 'threat,' revise the elements required to prove these crimes, and maintain provisions for student suspensions and law enforcement notification.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on terrorist threat crimes and student conduct, but the definition criteria for what constitutes a credible threat have been modified to include 'reasonable perception' of intent and ability to carry out the threat.

DEFINITION

Added explicit definitions for 'credible threat' and 'threat' with clearer criteria for what constitutes a credible threat, including requiring the statement to be reasonably perceived as having intent and apparent ability to carry out the threat.

Revised the elements for proving a terrorist threat crime to include language about 'reasonable perception' of fear and harm, and clarified that threats must be communicated to another person.

REQUIREMENT

Reorganized the bill text structure and added new page headers identifying this as a Judiciary substitute bill offered by Senator Smitherman, dated April 3, 2025.

TECHNICAL

Changed the bill title from 'HB356 INTRODUCED' to 'JUDICIARY SUBSTITUTE TO HB356' and updated the bill number and date information to reflect the substitute version.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 9, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported Out of Committee Second House

upper

Mar 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

Pending Committee Action in Second House (Judiciary)

upper

Mar 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 450

lower

Mar 18, 2025

Introduced

Hulsey 1st Amendment Offered

lower

Mar 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

lower

Feb 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (Judiciary)

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors